


Ghost Hunters

by fyf



Series: AU Ideas [from tumblr] [3]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-07
Updated: 2015-10-07
Packaged: 2018-04-25 08:06:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4952794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fyf/pseuds/fyf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt:  it’s 3 am and I’m still in the library studying for finals and I’m losing my grip on reality and I think I just saw a ghost.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ghost Hunters

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for how bad this sucks. I didn't mean to take long in between posting these but I've found it hard to get back into writing.
> 
> If people don't like it, or the person who asked for the prompt doesn't like it, I'd be more than happy to re-write it, as I'm not fully happy with it myself.

"Did you see that?" Daryl asked, nodding his head in the direction of the furthest bookshelves. He turned to Rick, eyes wide and a shade of purple gathered beneath them. His hands were shaking and empty coffee cups and papers littered the desk in front of him.

"See what?" Rick asked, he'd only joined him in the last half an hour and he could see Daryl was slowly losing his sanity. He'd come in at half 2 in the morning with the hopes of dragging Daryl out and back to their dorm to bed. He'd been working himself to the bone trying to study as much as he could for finals. Rick could see other students scattered around the library, almost the same picture as Daryl, skittish and eyes wide that were fighting to close.

"I think I saw something over there" Daryl explained.

With a sigh, Rick turned to fully face Daryl. "Saw what over there?" Rick asked again. "I'm sure it was just another student picking out a book"

"I don't know. Something. I don't think it was a student" Daryl answered. When he looked at Rick, fear was spread across his face, his eyes looked around fast as he scanned the room, his body tense as if he was ready for a fight.

Rick slowly extended his arm and put his hand on Daryl's shoulder. Daryl flinched back, eyes now wide and awake, looking at Rick.

"Sorry" Daryl muttered, his eyes returning to scanning the room. 

"Look Daryl, there's nothing there. I think we should go home" Rick explained, putting his hand back in his lap.

Daryl shook his head. "Can-can we go and look?" Daryl asked.

Rick couldn't say no, his voice had sounded so quiet and vulnerable he couldn't bring himself to drag him out of the library to the comfort of their room.

"Sure" Rick said, standing from his chair. Daryl rose too and followed Rick across the floor.

The corner of the library was dark, the lights had broke a few weeks back and Rick figured the college hadn't gotten around to fixing it yet.

As they approached, Rick stopped and pulled out his phone, after unlocking it and pressing a few buttons, the torch came on and Rick shone it around the corner of the library. Daryl put his hand over Rick's.

"No, you can't see them if you shine the light" Daryl whispered. Rick's brow furrowed.

"Them?" Rick whispered back. Belatedly realising how odd they must look, standing by bookshelves in the middle of the library whispering to each other.

"Ghosts!" Daryl whispered, a serious demeanour spreading over him. Rick blinked back at him for a beat.

"Ghosts? Really?"

Daryl nodded, solemnly. Rick bit his tongue, he wanted to comment, to tell Daryl he'd pushed himself too far, trying to live off coffee and no sleep but Daryl looked so serious and his eyes were alight with curiosity and fear and a hint of excitement that he couldn't pluck up the courage to tell him. He decided to keep that look on Daryl's face for as long as he could. So he turned off the flash light and put his phone away. Daryl smiled back at him and started walking forward, towards the corner.

\----

Fifteen minutes later, they were still looking. Daryl was shaking and Rick couldn't tell if that was from the caffeine or if he was scared.

"See? Nothing here. You okay now?"

"They have to be here! I know what I saw" Daryl explained, his voice sincere. Rick rolled his eyes, this was similar to the time Daryl said he saw a chupacabra whilst hunting with his brother.

Daryl continued on, slowly walking around the bookshelves. Rick realised again how odd they must look. The two of them creeping around shelves in the only dark part of the library. 

Daryl backed up, hands out behind him until he hit Rick.

"I saw it again!" Daryl whispered to Rick, staring at the far wall of the building. He raised his finger and pointed. "There! You see it?"

Rick looked past Daryl's extended arm and out into the darkness. He squinted as he tried to focus on what was apparently in front of him. He sighed frustratedly as nothing came into view. He knew Daryl was losing his grip on reality. Studying for hours straight, not sleeping and drinking copious amounts of caffeine would do that to a person. Rick had tried to protest but he knew how much finals meant to Daryl, how eager he was to prove himself, to prove he was smart and that he could achieve something with his life.

Daryl tugged on his arm and looked at Rick impatiently. Rick knew he wasn't going to let up until he had shown he was right.

"Yeah I see it" Rick whispered back. Daryl's grip tightened slightly and he bounced on his heels slightly.

"I knew it!" Daryl said triumphantly. Rick put his hand over Daryl's on his arm, picking it up and lacing their fingers together.

"Okay, you were right." He nudged Daryl's shoulder with his, noticing that Daryl had stopped shaking and that his shoulders were starting to sag. The adrenaline must be starting to wear off. "Let's go home shall we?" Rick asked quietly.

Daryl continued to stare into the corner, if Rick hadn't been looking at him he would never have noticed him nod ever so slightly.

\----

An hour later, they were curled up in bed. Daryl's cheek flat on Rick's chest, over his heart. Their legs tangled together, Daryl's arm slung over Rick's waist and Rick's arm over Daryl's shoulders.

Daryl muttered something in his sleep and nestled closer to Rick, nosing upwards to rest his face on Rick's collarbone. He sighed contentedly. 

Rick's hand strayed to Daryl's hair and started stroking. He glanced down and felt his heart swell. Daryl looked so young and stress free when he was asleep, his features were relaxed and when he was comfortable, a small smile would rest on  
his face.

Rick closed his eyes and felt sleep start to take him. A smile of his own on his face.

**Author's Note:**

> As always, comments and feedback are appreciated! (Even if it's negative, just please don't be too harsh).
> 
> Thank you anon for this prompt! I'll be sure to post your other one as soon as possible.
> 
> Also, look at this [tag](http://fuckyeahflint.tumblr.com/tagged/au) for more ideas!
> 
> Or, check out this [post](http://fuckyeahflint.tumblr.com/post/129887153843) for other ideas.


End file.
